Calibration and Verification: Understanding the Difference

In many industries, maintaining accurate and reliable measurement instruments is crucial for ensuring quality, compliance, and efficiency. Two essential processes that ensure the precision of these instruments are calibration and verification. While both processes ensure the accuracy and reliability of weighing instruments, they serve different purposes and are governed by distinct regulations.

In this article, we will explore the differences between verification and calibration, emphasizing their specific applications and relevant accreditation standards as per the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS).

What is Calibration?

Calibration is a process that compares the readings of a weighing instrument with a known standard to determine its accuracy. The primary goal of calibration is to identify and rectify any deviations from the true value. During calibration, adjustments can be made to the instrument to align its measurements with the standard.

Key Points of Calibration:

1. Accuracy Assurance: Calibration ensures that an instrument measures accurately within specified tolerances.
2. Traceability: The standards used in calibration must be traceable to national or international standards to ensure consistency and reliability.
3. Regular Maintenance: Calibration is part of regular maintenance, ensuring that instruments perform correctly over time.
4. Documentation: Calibration results are documented, providing a record of the instrument’s performance and any adjustments made.

What is Verification?

Verification, on the other hand, is a process mandated by legal requirements to ensure that weighing instruments used for trade purposes meet specific standards and regulations. In South Africa, verification is compulsory for all weighing instruments used in commercial transactions to ensure fairness and accuracy in trade.

Key Points of Verification:

1. Legal Requirement: Verification is legally required for instruments used in trade, such as those in retail, wholesale, and industrial applications.
2. Compliance: Verification checks that the instrument complies with the relevant standards and regulations, ensuring it is suitable for trade use.
3. Accreditation: Verification can only be performed by accredited bodies recognized by SANAS, ensuring the process adheres to stringent national standards.
4. Periodic Verification: Instruments must undergo verification at specified intervals to maintain their compliance and legal standing.

SANAS Accreditation

In South Africa, both verification and calibration are governed by specific accreditation standards to ensure the integrity and reliability of weighing instruments.

Separate Accreditations

Verification and calibration carry separate accreditations as per SANAS. Calibration laboratories are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025, which specifies general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. Verification bodies, on the other hand, must be accredited to SANS LM-P-045-09-17, which pertains to the verification of weighing instruments.

Compulsory Verification for Trade

The South African Legal Metrology Act requires that all weighing instruments used for trade purposes must be verified by an accredited verification body. This ensures that consumers and businesses engage in fair and accurate transactions.

In summary, calibration and verification are distinct yet complementary processes essential for ensuring the accuracy and compliance of weighing instruments. Calibration focuses on accuracy and traceability to standards, forming part of regular maintenance. Verification, a legal requirement in South Africa, ensures that instruments used for trade meet specific standards and regulations. Understanding these differences is crucial for businesses and consumers alike, ensuring that all commercial transactions are conducted with precision and fairness.

Clover Scales is one of the leading scale companies in Southern Africa, with two SANAS trade accreditations and clients who work to ISO standards. So whatever your industrial weighing scale needs, we can supply everything from laboratory balances to a 60-tonne weighbridge and issue SANAS certificates in-house.